Navigation

Orencia vs. Humira

 

Are Orencia and Humira the Same Thing?

Orencia (abatacept) and Humira (adalimumab) are used to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Orencia is also used to treat arthritis in children who are at least 6 years old. Orencia is not a cure for any autoimmune disorder and only treats symptoms.

Humira is also used to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis, and to treat Crohn's disease after other drugs have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.

Orencia and Humira belong to different drug classes. Orencia is a recombinant DNA generated fusion protein and Humira is an injectable protein (antibody).

Side effects of Orencia and Humira that are similar include headache, stomach pain, and cold symptoms such as stuffy head/nose, sneezing, sore throat, or cough.

Side effects of Orencia that are different from Humira include nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, dizziness, flushing, and back pain.

Side effects of Humira that are different from Orencia include injection site reactions (redness, itching, pain, bruising, swelling, or bleeding).

Both Orencia and Humira may interact with anakinra, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, and rituximab.

Orencia may also interact with adalimumab and tocilizumab.

Humira may also interact with "live" vaccines, abatacept, azathioprine, and mercaptopurine.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Orencia?

Side effects of Orencia include:

  • headache,
  • nausea,
  • diarrhea,
  • stomach pain,
  • indigestion,
  • dizziness,
  • flushing,
  • back pain, or
  • cold symptoms such as stuffy head/nose, sneezing, sore throat, or cough.

Serious side effects of Orencia include:

What Are Possible Side Effects of Humira?

Common side effects of Humira include:

  • injection site reactions (redness, itching, pain, bruising, swelling, or bleeding),
  • headache,
  • suffy nose,
  • sinus pain, or
  • stomach pain.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Humira including:

  • fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat,
  • stomach pain,
  • blood in the stools,
  • mental/mood changes,
  • severe headache,
  • easy bruising or bleeding,
  • dark urine,
  • yellowing eyes and skin,
  • leg pain or swelling,
  • numbness or tingling of the arms/hands/legs/feet,
  • unsteadiness,
  • unexplained muscle weakness,
  • difficulty with speaking/chewing/swallowing/facial movements,
  • vision changes,
  • extreme fatigue,
  • joint pain, or
  • butterfly-shaped rash on the nose and cheeks.

What Is Orencia?

Orencia (abatacept) is a recombinant DNA generated fusion protein used to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and to prevent joint damage caused by these conditions. Orencia is also used to treat arthritis in children who are at least 6 years old. Orencia is not a cure for any autoimmune disorder and only treats symptoms.

What Is Humira?

Humira (adalimumab) is an injectable protein (antibody) used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis. Humira is also used to treat Crohn's disease after other drugs have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.

 

What Drugs Interact With Orencia?

There may be other drugs that can interact with Orencia. The prescribing doctor needs to know all medications (including herbals) that the person is taking. During pregnancy, Orencia should be used only when prescribed. It is unknown if Orencia passes into breast milk or if it would harm a nursing baby. Breastfeeding is not recommended while using this drug.

What Drugs Interact With Humira?

Humira may interact with azathioprine or mercaptopurine. Asacol may also interact with pentamidine, tacrolimus, amphotericin B, antibiotics, antiviral medicines, cancer medicine, or aspirin or other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Humira may also interact with abatacept, anakinra, infliximab, etanercept, certolizumab pegol, golimumab, or rituximab.

 

How Should Orencia Be Taken?

Orencia is supplied in single use vials at a strength of 250mg per vial. Orencia is administered intravenously (IV) as a 30-minute infusion. Dosing is based on the patient's weight. Following the initial intravenous administration, an IV infusion is given at 2 and 4 weeks after the first infusion and every 4 weeks thereafter.

How Should Humira Be Taken?

Humira is given by an injection under the skin. Your doctor will tell you how often to take an injection of Humira. This is based on your condition to be treated. Do not inject Humira more often than you were prescribed.

Do not try to inject Humira yourself until you have been shown the right way to give the injections. If your doctor decides that you or a caregiver may be able to give your injections of Humira at home, you should receive training on the right way to prepare and inject Humira.

Do not miss any doses of Humira unless your doctor says it is okay. If you forget to take Humira, inject a dose as soon as you remember. Then, take your next dose at your regular scheduled time. This will put you back on schedule.

In case you are not sure when to inject Humira, call your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more Humira than you were told to take, call your doctor.